The invention relates to bottle filling/capping. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for positioning, a bottle neck during filling and/or capping.
An exemplary bottle filling/capping method and apparatus is illustrated in the context of a laundry detergent bottle. However, it may apply to other bottles.
In an exemplary bottle filling/capping process, bottles move along a flowpath through a series of operations. Exemplary operations may include filling, cap applying, labeling, inspection, and the like.
These may be further subdivided. For example, with laundry detergent bottles, capping may, involve a two-step process of first installing a spout fitment and then installing a cap. Alternatively, the spout fitment may be installed prior to filling. One exemplary group of bottles is shown in US Pre-Grant Publication No. 2009/0101682A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety as if set forth at length.
At various points along the flowpath, the bottles may need to be precisely positioned. One example involves positioning the bottle at capping where filled bottles (optionally with spout fitments preinstalled) receive caps and the caps are screwed down. More particularly, the cap may be screwed to a pre-installed spout fitment or the spout fitment with cap pre-installed may be screwed onto the bottle or snapped onto the bottle. In yet further variations, spout fitment pre-installation may be internal so that the cap screws onto the bottle.
To the extent that the bottles are not centered relative to the cap being delivered, the cap may fail to be properly installed and may damage the bottle and/or foul the assembly line. It is, therefore, desirable that the capping station precisely register the bottle relative to the cap being installed.
For registering the bottles, it is known to use a guide wheel having a circumferential array of guide members for engaging the bottle. The wheel rotates with the flowpath passing tangentially by or around the wheel so that at least one guide member may engage a bottle adjacent one or more associated capping tools. Exemplary capping tools each comprise one or more actuators for downwardly inserting the cap and rotating the cap to tighten it.
The exemplary guides have recesses nearly semicircular in planform (e.g., a circular are in the vicinity of 180°).